Pro teams add further class to Revolution Championships

The presence of even more professional teams will add class to the Revolution Championship, which will begin its ninth season at the Manchester Vélodrome on October 29th. A number of Team Sky’s WorldTour riders will be participating in the series as it takes on last season’s champion Maxgear.

Team Sky will be fielding Geraint Thomas, Alex Dowsett, Ben Swift, Russell Downing and Pete Kennaugh – with all but Dowsett having ridden a Grand tour this season – in order to try to take this season’s title. Against them the Maxgear team will include junior national Madison champion Chris Lawless, as well as the up-and-coming Yates brothers Simon and Adam.

Sky’s biggest opposition could well come from top domestic road team Rapha Condor Sharp, which will include Great Britain team pursuit stalwart Ed Clancy, Andy Tennant and Russell Downing’s elder brother Dean. A new team to the competition will be UK Youth, led by Swedish veteran, and 2004 Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt, who will be joined by national pursuit champion Steven Burke.

Unlike last time around, the Revolution Championship will be confined to the endurance riders, with the ever-popular sprint races counting towards a separate competition. Britain’s top sprinters will take on a number of their international rivals in team sprints, match sprints and other high-speed battles.

Emerging British star David Daniell will be leading the British sprint charge in the first event, along with Pete Mitchell and Junior World Sprint Champion John Paul. As the series continues there will be appearances from big stars Sir Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Ross Edgar and Matt Crampton.